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ADDRESS 



Reminiscences of Flushing; 



1847 TO 1864 



HARRY R. GELWICKS 
1907 



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W\A 



ADDRESS 



BEFORE 



FLUSHING HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

1907 



At the February, 1907 meeting of the Flushing Historical 
Society Mr. William L. Titus presented the Society a number 
of copies of the Flushing Journal, some bearing dates of more 
than half a century ago. There were 37 copies of the Journal, 
in time covering a preiod of 17 years from 1847 to 1864. The 
Journal was 5 years old at the date of the earliest issue, havmg 
been issued first in 1842. 

During the period in which these copies under examma- 
tion were issued the paper was owned and edited by Charles 
R. Lincoln. The issue of June, 1847, states that the office was 
No. I Cottage Place. This was the narrow thoroughfare now 
known as Monroe street extending eastward from Jamaica ave- 
nue at the rear of St. Joseph's Convent. No. i was the first 
house on the left side of the street going towards the present 
Union street. The next issue in the collection, that of January 
8, 1848. states that the office has been located in the brick build- 
ing on Bridge street next to the Flushing Pavilion. This build- 
ing is not now standing but was on part of the same ground 
now occupied by the Broadway Lyceum. 

The issue of Sept. 3, 1853 states that the office of the paper 
is located in the building next to Lowerree's hotel, now the 
Fountain house, on Main street. The last issue of the paper in 
the collection gives the same location for the office. 

In the issue of June, 1847, twenty-seven business firms 
o^ Flushing advertised. There is an announcement that Henry 
Clement and Francis Bloodgood on March 9th, 1847, formed 
a co-partnership under the name of Clement and Bloodgood 
for the purpose of conducting a general country store and drug 
business. Francis Bloodgood was the druggist. Later he was 
succeeded by Isaac Bloodgood, the father of the present Dr. 
Joseph F. Bloodgood who continued a member of the firm for 
many years. 

Mrs. Van Velsor announced the removal of her hat store 
from Prince street to the new building on Main street opposite 
the Methodist Church. John I. Burk was selling ice and con- 
ducting Vauxhall Gardens ; Caleb Smith was the village coop- 
er ; Benjamin Griffin kept a grocery store ; Quarterman & Son 
were house painters and decorators with a shop on Prince 
street ; Joseph Bedell was the village blacksmith ; James Ew- 
banks and Sons had a grocery store on Washington street ; 
John Purchase conducted the Fulton meat market; Thomas B. 
Whitlock and Henry Lewis were hardware merchants and tin- 



smiths; William Smart, father of Frederick Smart offered his 
services as agent for the purchase and sale of real estate ; 
George Bonse from his store in Washington street, next door 
to Ewbanks and Sons, sold ladies' French buskins, ties, and 
sandal gaiters, and gentlemen's French and Washington boots ; 
Samuel Fowler was a cabinet maker on Main street, five doors 
from the Methodist Church ; Alfred C. Smith was the village 
druggist in what is now the Underbill building at Broadway 
and Main street; Isaac Peck and Son were coal and lumber 
merchants and John Rickey had a clothing emporium at Bridge 
street and Linneas place. 

P'erdinand Willett. a colored man, mind you, announced 
that he would run a market boat between Flushing and Fulton 
market every evening except Sunday. Samuel G. Lowerree 
whose store was on Bridge street, was one of the foremost 
men of his time. His store was the ideal country establishment 
where everything could be purchased. Temperance Flail on 
Bridge street over Mr. Lowerree's store was occupying the 
place in the communtiy for public assemblage that the Good 
Citizenship League building is at present. George Wood, the 
dentist, announced that "Artificial palates would be so inserted 
as to render the w^earcr almost unconscious of ever having lost 
the original; all losses of the superior maxillaries (jaw bones) 
made good and whole sets of teeth inserted on the principal of 
Capillary attraction (atmospheric pressure.)" 

Our doctors of to-day think it highly unprofessional to 
insert their names in advertisements. But some of them, per- 
haps not those in Flushing, have a way of seeing the reporters 
who write the news items. What would they think of this an- 
nouncement in the Journal of June 19, 1847 • 

"On and after Monday, the 21st, the subscribers will 
be found at their ofiice, formerly the postofiice, from 8 a. 
m. to 10 p. m., lest when engaged visiting their patients. 
The servant of Mr. Lander will attend the door where a 
slate will be kept for the convenience of those wdio may 
call during their absence. At night they will be found 
as usual at the residence of Dr. Joseph Bloodgood, M. D. 

"Joseph Bloodgood, M. D. 
"Arraiiam Bloodgood, M. D." 
All through the old papers the candor displayed is strik- 
ing. In the issue of June 19. 1847, appears the account of the 
death of Rev. George C. Burcker, rector of St. George's parish. 
There is a column and a half communication signed by Dr. W. 
W. Valk, recounting just how it happened. It is in part as 
follows : 

"Mr. Burcker called at my residence and complained 
of a pain, I prescribed for him while sitting in my office 
and when he left desired him to inform me if he was not 
relieved. He sent me word that he felt worse. I pre- 
scribed again upon symptomatic evidence that he labored 
under an attack of colic. Tie expressed a wMsh to take a 



warm bath and I assented. Not a symptom at this time 
indicated what was going on in his system. Dr. McDon- 
ald saw him with me and at that time we saw nothing to 
alarm us. About 6 o'clock Sunday evening we regarded 
Mr. B in a critical condition, though his true condition as 
to disease could not be made out. The pain had been 
alarming; to what was it owing? This question we could 
not answer to our comfort. It might be spasm, it might 
be something more serious. An examination after death 
disclosed the cause of all the difficulty ; nothing but an act 
of God could have prevented the fatal issue." 
In the issue of January, 1848, William Smart advertises a 
cottage to rent on Spring Lane on his farm ten minutes walk 
from the steamboat dock, the improvements in the cottage be- 
ing the basement, a cistern, a well, a pump near the door and 
a small garden attached. 

In this issue is an announcement of the Flushing Institute, 
signed by Ezra Fairchild, stating that the school is one of the 
oldest in the vicinity of New York and its present number of 
pupils is eighty. John W. Lawrence advertises for sale St. 
Thomas' hall which he says is occupied by G. B. Docharty. 
Notice is also given in this issue of January, 1848, that Flush- 
ing bridge will be closed in consequence of the building of a 
new bridge. The date of the notice is Nov. 4th of the pre- 
ceeding year. There is a news item in the same issue that 
Noble and Phillips are making commendable progress in ex- 
pediting work on the new bridge. 

James Strong announces that he has taken office as Jus- 
tice of the Peace and he is ready to prepare legal documents 
and perform marriages at any time of night or day. 

The Hamilton Rifles, Co. A, were called ovit to parade by 
George B. Roe, captain, and George Quarterman, orderly ser- 
geant. 

In the issue of June 28, 185 1, is a notice signed by Ezra 
Fairchild, principal of the Flushing Institute. It presents the 
viewpoint of the man while actively engaged in his great edu- 
cational work. The notice in part is: — 

'Tn declining to take day scholars, which we do with 

great reluctance, we are governed by considerations which 

have nothing to do with their relative merits or demerits. 

The fact is, we have responsibility but not control. We 

have not ingenuity enough to reconcile boarding students 

to requirements from which day scholars are exempt. 

Hereafter we shall take no day scholars till we can do so 

consistently with the interest of our school as a whole." 

J. Milnor Peck announces that his new steam planeing 

and saw mill is ready for operation. Under date of April 25th, 

1 85 1, George Pople announces that he has taken the meat 

market lately occupied by John Purchase. This is the only 

business advertised at that time which still continues with the 

exception of the publication of the Flushing Journal. 



Readers of the Journal may think that within the past 
year they have seen the first of extraordinary advertisement of 
land for sale for buildings purposes. The issue for June, 28, 
1 85 1, contains eight advertisements of real estate men. I have 
taken only several as illustrations. 

"For Sale, Building Lots — the Gansevroot property 
adjoining Sanford avenue in market ; streets arc making 
and the lots all surveyed ; early application will insure 
choice — the price low — and those wanting lots already 
beautified with forest trees need not wait twenty years 
for shade — Apply to William Smart, agent." 

"The subscriber offers for sale the forty-three acres 
of land known as "The Neck," situated on the west side 
of Lawrence St. adjoining Prince's nurseries and having 
an extensive water front on Flushing Creek. This pro- 
perty is admirably adapted for cutting into building lots 
from its contiguity to the village and steamboat landing as 
well as from the gentle elevation and fine view it com- 
mands. No property on the market is better worth the 
attention of capitalists than this. Apply to Benjamin 
Wright." 

"Two hundred and sixty lots at Whitestone village, 
near Whitestone Steamboat Landing. The lots are on 
high ground, with excellent drainage, and commanding 
the most extensive view of the East River and Sound, and 
overlooking Fort Schuyler and Sand's Point and the beau- 
tiful country residences of Anthony J. Bleecker and John 
D. Locke. The location of the village of Whitestone is 
unparallelled in point of prospect and health. The means 
of access from the city to New York is by steamboat which 
lands passengers daily within a few minutes walk from 
these lots. There is in the immediate neighborhood two 
places of religious worship, schools and several stores. 
This property is the most desirable for building or invest- 
ment. A portion of the property has already been sold on 
which are to be erected dwellings. Maps on application. 
William Henry Roe." 

"Ho for the frontier! Everybody and his wife are 
talking of squatting beyond the reach of city landlords 
and the tax gatherers. We don't blame persons of limited 
incomes, especially if they have unlimited families, for 
establishing themselves beyond the city limits, say for in- 
stances, at Strattonport, just eight miles away. This 
beautiful location is nearer than Harlem in point of dist- 
ance and nearer in point of time. We invite the atten- 
tion of mechanics, particularly, to this point. We under- 
stand that forty houses will be commenced this fall. A 
good plank walk to Flushing is already commenced. A 
year's rent in the city for a family man will buy a lot and 
put up a dwelling. Think of that. There is not much 
time for thinking, however, for all the lots will be sold in 



a few weeks. Apply at once, therefore, to John Flammer, 
one of the owners upon whose responsibility and repre- 
sentations full reliance can be placed." 

"Strattonport lots are opposite Harlem on Flushing 
Bay, celebrated for its abundance of wild fowl, rare fish, 
and delightful oysters and clams. The above site was 
surveyed and laid out into eight hundred lots, 50 by 100, 
since which time about one half the lots have been sold. 
Lots are $60, $75, and $100 with $125 and $140 for water 
front property. The conditions of sale $25 down and the 
balance in monthly installments of $10." 
Another advertisement of this time, 185 1, demands at- 
tention because it refers to a certain property that has figured 
in transactions during the past year. The advertisement is as 
follows : — 

"Flushing's Chalybeate Springs. Known through all 

Indian tradition as the "Physic Springs," the waters of 

which were analyzed by the late celebrated Dr. Mitchell 

of New York accompanied by the late Dr. Bloodgood and 

many other eminent professional and scientific gentlemen 

and pronounced by them to be of the highest chalybeate 

qualities being more strongly impregnated with iron than 

any yet discovered in the United States." 

The springs were within the property of Edward W. 

Bradley who called his residence on Whitestone avenue near 

the springs, Roxbury Place. He was offering lots for sale in 

the vicinity. 

This interesting item of news appears in the issue of Aug. 
7th, 1852^:- ' ^ 

"The Episcopal church in this village has been re- 
moved from the old site on Main street on a line with 
Church street preparatory to the erection of a new edifice. 
The removal has been successfully performed by Messrs. 
Cook and Westlake, two enterprising young men, who 
have had considerable experience in moving buildings and 
are practically conversant with such undertakings. To 
a great many the work of removing the church, a build- 
ing 81 by 40, seemed a most ardous undertaking, and by 
numerous were the predictions that it could never be ac- 
complished unless one of the 499 plans other than the one 
really employed was adopted. But those village solons, 
the prophets of the past, the vociferous 'didn't I tell you 
SOS,' whose wisdom builds nests of the calabashes of the 
brainless, where conceits are hatched out as swallows 
hatch out fledgelings from sooty chimneys, have been ac- 
tual witnesses of a result that never could happen and, 
what is more mournful still of a result, that has generally 
yielded satisfaction to those who employed Messrs, C. & 
W. to effect the removal. One other fact has been estab- 
lished which will carry home pain to some breasts and that 
is that men who are educated to a business are more likely 



to know something about it than those who know nothing 
at all. We are requested to say that the building will be 
renovated and in condition for worship on Sunday week. 
The services to-morrow will be held at Clintonville in the 
forenoon and in the Dutch Reformed edifice in the after- 
noon." 

There is a reference to the new Episcopal Church in the 
issue of March 5th, 1853 in a communication signed, "A 
Citizen," as follows : — 

"Mr. Lincoln : I observed in your paper of last week a 
notice in reference to the erection of a new church in this 
village by the Ejiiscopalians. I understand the new build- 
ing is to cost $20,000, of which only about one third is as 
yet collected and that the part uncollected is to be raised by 
the selling of pews, when the church shall be finished. I 
would suggest that it were better for a congregation to 
occupy an old tenement even under many disadvantages 
until such a time as a sufficiency of funds would warrant 
them to commence and complete another without being 
obliged, when it shall be finished, to have recourse to the 
very unchristian practice of selling pews." 
The issue of August the 7th, 1852, makes the important 
announcement that between seventy-five and eighty mowing 
machines have been introduced on Long Lsland within the past 
summer. Reaping machines have also been introduced. The 
high wages demanded by laborers has given an impetus to the 
demand ifor the machines. 'Tt is believed that before long," 
says the editor, "that the whole hay crop of Long Island, which 
is enormous, will be gathered by machinery." 

The Queens County Agricultural Society on Sept. the 
30th, 1852, held their annual fair in Flushing. The editor 
adds : — 

"We are willing that Flushing itself, its farms, dwell- 
ings, the product of the land, and its women and children, 
and sundry other things should be put in competition with 
any other town in the country." 

There were times other than the present when Flush- 
ing's fire department was not up to standard. In 1852 the 
Journal said : — 

"Our fire department is known to our citizens to be 
the most wretched concern that exists anywhere. We 
have one engine and one company of three or four mem- 
bers. The engine is private property and belongs to the 
Lord knows who. The engine is in debt to Mr. A. C. 
Smith to the tune of some $150 for repairs and inciden- 
tals. Mr. Smith is at the pains of having the engine 
cleaned and put in working order and is a fire depart- 
ment of himself. There is no fire organization whatever; 
not even a public cistern exists from which water could 
be drawn to put out an ignited bundle of straw. We ut- 



terly eschew havinef anything to do with the whitening of 
this sepulchre." 

The enthusiasm of Mr. Smith referred to in the ahove 
descended to his son, who was the organizer of the Empire 
Hose Co. The son is at present the senior member of the firm 
of Smith & Olyphant, bankers, of New York City. 

That the fire department was not quite so bad as might 
seem from Mr. Lincoln's editorial is shown by the following 
news item in the same issue : 

"On Wednesday morning the fine pile of buildings 
known as St. Thomas hall, occupied by Rev. William H. 
Gilder as a female institute was discovered to be on fire, 
at the extremity of the kitchen. It was occassioned by 
a defect in an oven. It was put out by the timely arrival 
of the fire engine and neighbors. It is said the young 
ladies evinced the most admirable coolness during the con- 
tinuance of the catastrophe." 

New Year's day, 1853, furnished the following sensation 
for the editor: 

"We have just seen a novel machine invented by Mr. 
John C. Quarterman of this village which exhibits great 
ingenuity. The object of the machine is to turn out han- 
dles for pails, chisels, coal shovels, and other tools. The 
machine combines several powers. With the help of two 
men a square stick is inserted at one end of the machine 
and the handles come out complete at the other end at the 
rate of five handles a minute." 

With the issue of January 15th, 1853, came an enlarge- 
ment of the Flushing Journal. The editor remarked : — 

"The enlargement of the Journal is not to be taken as 
very strong evidence of its prosperity. Although it has 
been most nobly sustained both by the subscriptions and 
advertising favors of our business men and citizens, at no 
time has it been a property on which a sensible man would 
rely as a source of much profit or pleasure." 
On January 13, 1853 application was made to the village 
trustees of Flushing for a twenty-five year franchise for the 
purpose of furnishing gas to residents of Flushing. The name 
of the person or persons behind the project were not disclosed, 
but the editor of the Journal said they were responsible parties 
and able to fulfil any promises which they made. The appli- 
cation to the trustees stipulated that the trustees are not to 
grant a similar franchise to anyone else during the twenty-five 
years and in consideration thereof gas was to be furnished to 
street lamps at the rate of $3.50 per thousand feet. 

The Good Citizenship League has received proper credit 
for maintaining courses of annual lectures in Flushing, but 
they cannot claim to have been the pioneers in this worthy 
undertaking. Under date of January 22d, 1853, a committee 
consisting of Thomas Harrison, D. S. Williams, and Robert 



10 

B. Parsons announces a course of lectures, the speakers to be 
Henry Ward Beccher, to speak on "The Proi^rcssive and the 
Conservative" ; Horace Greeley on "The Literary Vocation" ; 
David B. Scott on "John Knox and Mary, Queen of Scots" ; 
Rev. G. B. Cheever, D.D., on a subject to be announced. The 
Beecher lecture was delivered in the Congregational Church. 
The price for a single lecture was 25c. and for the course of 
five lectures 62^.c. 

Last fall residents of Flushing were interested in big auto- 
mobiles loaded with prospective land purchasers coming to 
Flushing. But in February, 1853, this was reported : — 

"People from the city in omnibus loads are rolling 
into this town in pursuit of real estate upon our noble 
headlands and inlets. On Thursday a party of sixteen 
purchased the splendid farm on the east side of Little 
Neck Bay from Jeremiah Lambertson for, we understand, 
$35,000. The company intend to divide it into 16 parcels 
and build that number of country residences on it." 
The maintenance of the Flushing poor farm was a sub- 
ject of much agitation in the years 1852-3. In the early part 
of 1852 the town officials decided to introduce the contract sys- 
tem at the poor farm. Capt. John B. Fowler agreed to take 
entire charge of the farm for one year for $1,350, the town to 
furnish medical attendance and pay for the support of insane 
persons. 

The building of plank roads was most industriously car- 
ried forth in the early '50s. In 1850 the Bayside and Flushing 
plank road was started. In April, 1853, it was announced that 
$6,000 had been subscribed for the construction of the Jamaica 
and Flushing plank road. At the same time was the announce- 
ment that application had been made to the board of super- 
visors of Queens county for permission to construct the New 
town and North Hempstead plank road, extending from the 
town of Newtown entirely through the town of Flushing to 
the town of North Hempstead and to the Jericho turnpike, a 
distance of 14 miles. This road is still one of the main arteries 
of the Third Ward. 

As a tribute to the anti-slavery sentiment of Flushing it 
can be stated that during all the period covered by the papers 
under consideration when newspapers in some parts of the 
country were full of advertisements for runaway slaves but one 
advertisement of that kind appeared in the Flushing Journal. 
That was inserted by Tunis P. Davis of Manhasset who ad- 
vertised for a negro girl. In the same issue, April, 1852, in 
which the advertisement for the slave girl appears there is the 
announcement of the death of Rev. Edward Africanus, a color- 
ed man, who, it was said, had lived long in the community, who 
was noted for his piety, his intelligence and his influence over 
the members of his race and wdio for a year had been in the 
employ of the Board of Education of Flushing as a teacher in 
the colored school. 



II 

The Board of Supervisors of Queens county on April 30, 
1853, selected Flushing- as the site for the Queens county court 
house. County Judge Strong- had demanded that a new court 
house be erected as the old one on the Hempstead Plains near 
Mineola was unfit for use. Peter Luyster, of Oyster Bay, was 
the chairman of that board of supervisors and the other mem- 
bers were Jacob B. Boerum, of Flushing; John S. Wood, of 
North Flempstead ; Martin I. Duryea, of Jamaica ; William H. 
Furman, of Newtown, and Benjamin T. Smith, of Hempstead. 
The vote selecting Flushing was 4 to 2. Just who voted for 
Flushing was not stated but in the preliminary balloting the 
Flushing, Newtown, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay super- 
visors voted together while Jamaica and Hempstead super- 
visors stood together. This action of the supervisors had to 
be sanctioned by the Legislature and there, the proposition 
came to grief. In the issue of the Journal announcing the act- 
ion of the supervisors appears a communication of a citizen 
opposing the location of the court house in Flushing for the 
following very unique reasons : — 

"A court house is generally the resort of loungers 
and loafers and gathers within its doors all who are in- 
clined to idleness and scandal. It adds greatly to the 
amount of rum drinking and drunkeness. It brings into 
every house and family circle, as subjects of discussion, 
all the details of the most flagrant crimes — murder, rob- 
beries and the like — that may be perpetrated in the county. 
These become table talk in the family, and during excit- 
ing trials we may expect to see our sons and neighbors 
thronging the court room, impelled by a morbid curiosity 
to hear the disgusting and demoralizing testimony which 
is elicited on such occasions. I have seen these things 
again and again, and I have noticed that young men of 
county towns are far more inclined to dissipation than 
those of other villages, and we cannot expect that ours 
will prove an exception to the rule. In view of the great 
increase of population in those parts of the county nearest 
New York, and the character of much of it, and the strong 
probability that crime will proportionately increase, I 
dread the letting out into our midst the sickening detail 
that must pour forth from the court room at the close of 
each day's session to become the subject of social conver- 
sation and I deem it an act of wisdom in our forefathers — 
the setting down of the county buildings in the midst of 
broad fields. There let them remain, or if they must be 
removed, may they never mar the moral beauty of our vil- 
lage — now the praise of all the land." 
On May 3, 1853, there was a meeting of the subscribers 
of the Flushing and Jamaica plank road at the residence of 
Henry Hover. Directors were elected and articles of associa- 
tion signed. The sum of $11,000 was subscribed for the com- 



12 

pletion of the road. The directors chosen were John A. King, 
Cliarles Hamilton, Jacob B. Boerinn, James Lott, James Rem- 
sen, Ezra W. Miller, Henry Clement, George Vandeverg, and 
Jeremiah Valentine. Jacob Boerum was made president, 
Charles A. Hamilton treasurer, and Jeremiah Valentine, secre- 
tary. 

A committee, John A. King, Jeremiah Valentine and 
James Lott, was appointed to apply for the cession of the public 
highway between Flushing and Jamaica and to arrange with 
the property owners along the line for the widening and 
straightening of the same and to obtain the consents of the 
trustees of the town of Flushing. 

The Flushing cemetery was incorporated on the 29th of 
June, 1853. William H. Schermerhorn was the first president ; 
Peter A. Van Bergen, vice-president ; William Leonard, secre- 
tary ; Robert B. Parsons, treasurer and the other trustees, Wil- 
liam Phillips, Uriah Mitchell and Henry Lewis. It was dedi- 
cated on August 31, 1853. It contained 21 acres. It was laid 
out under the direction of Howard Daniels, architect and land- 
scape gardener. Rev. Dr. Kennedy, a Methodist minister, of 
Brooklyn, made the dedicatory address. With him on the 
platform were the following ministers: Rev. J. Carpenter 
Smith, H. M. Beare, Morrell, Abbott, Mandeville, and Gilder. 
Samuel B. Parsons read an original poem, a stanza or two of 
which was as follows: 

No funeral pyre flaming high, 
No urn for ashes of the dead, 
No mummy in its bandages swathed, 
And costly spices o'er it shed ; 

No vaulted cavern, deep and damp. 
Lonely, and dark and drear. 
Shall hold the fair or stalwart forms 
Which, to our hearts are dear. 

The mysteries of our holy faith 
The Egyptian never knew ; 
And from his wells of learning deep 
The Grecian never drew. 

Nor in the tomb of olden time, 
Of warrior, priest or king. 
Is there a single pleasant thought 
Its mouldering stone can bring. 

On Nov. 5th, 1853, the executor of the estate of Mr. Jag- 
gar agreed to the opening of Sanford avenue from the Jamaica 
plank road to Lawrence street. The editor of the Journal 
predicted that some of the finest residences in Flushing would 
in course of time be erected on this street, a prediction that 



13 

came true. The owners of property from Hamilton's mill to 
Whitestone avenue on the same date signed over to the Flush- 
ing village trustees the necessary property for the opening of 
Myrtle avenue and agreed to hear the assessment to pay for 
its improvement. 

That the same methods were in vogue in 1854 for im- 
proving the breed of horses as practiced to-day by August Bel- 
mont, Patrick McCarren and Big Tim Sullivan is suggested 
by this item in the Journal of the date of April 15, 1854: — 

** 'The bill for the 'Improvement of the Breed of 
Horses' which it is reported would have created an ad- 
ditional race course in this county has been killed in the 
legislature." 

In May, 1856, the people of Flushing were much dis- 
turbed by the rumor that a tract of land on Whitestone avenue, 
purchased at a public sale about that time, was to be turned 
into a cemetery by the Roman Catholic Church of this village. 
The people were much affraid that the cemetery project was to 
be put through by stealth but Mr. Lincoln assured them this 
cannot be done because of an act on the statute books of the 
State which was introduced and pushed through the Legisla- 
ture by S. S. Smith, the Assemblyman from the Flushing dis- 
trict and which required a public hearing before the Board of 
Supervisors. This act was passed in 1852. The occasion for 
the passage of the act was the announced purpose of the City 
of New York to acquire land in Queens County for their Pot- 
ter's field. In 1853 an effort was made to repeal the law but 
the ever watchful Mr. Smith was on hand and prevented it. 
This law remains until the present day and Flushing people 
can feel proud of the record of Assemblyman Smith. 

On May 9th, 1856 at a public meeting held in the Flushing 
Pavilion a committee consisting of James Lowerree, Isaac 
Peck and Henry Lewis, was appointed to secure subscriptions 
for the deepening and widening of the channel of Flushing 
Creek according to plans prepared by Conrad Poppenhusen. 
Mr. Poppenhusen promised if the project was carried through, 
his steamboat then running from College Point to New York, 
would make two trips daily from Flushing. Mr. Poppenhusen 
estimated that the channel could be deepened two or three feet 
for a width of 30 feet and a length of 5,950 feet for $2,000. 

At a meeting of the Republicans of Flushing held at 
Mayher's hotel on May 7th, 1856, and at which meeting Sam- 
uel B. Parsons, William Mitchell, William H. Leland, Robert 
Willets, William Sammis, Charles H. Hunt and David Wil- 
liams took part it was resolved that those assembled would re- 
sist by all proper means the admission into the Union of any 
slave state formed out of the territories secured to freedom by 
the Missouri compromise or otherwise. 

In the issue of Feb. 7th, 1863, appears a reprint of the 
original Dutch patent of the town of Flushing issued by Wil- 
liam Kieft in Fort Amsterdam and bearing date of Oct. loth, 



H 

1645. There is also in this issue the announcement of the 
death of Ann Bowne, the last descendant of that name to re- 
side in the old Bowne house. 

Concerning the stage lines of Flushing the following in- 
formation is given by the papers under examination : — 

In 1847 tlie Flushing, Newtown and New York mail stage 
left G. Hick's hotel daily at 6 and 7:30 a. m. and 2 p. m., and 
Sundays at 7 a. m. and 5 p. m. Returning it left Oakley and 
Piatt's hotel at Pearl and Dover street and Keatings' hotel at 
Peck's slip in New York, W. Cornell was proprietor. Pas- 
sengers would leave their names at B. Griffin's store. 

In 1848 Thomas Cornwell became the proprietor of that 
stage line and he advertised the Roslyn, Manhasset, Great 
Neck, Little Neck, Flushing and New York stages, leaving 
Pinckey's hotel at Roslyn ; Ruland's hotel at Manhasset ; Cor- 
nell's hotel at Little Neck; Hover's and Cornell's hotels in 
Flushing. This stage stopped at Oakley and Piatt's hotel and 
61 Bowery, corner of Walker street, New York City. 

In 185 1 C. H. Hunt became proprietor of the Roslyn and 
New York stage. He inaugurated the plan of having his 
stages go from Flushing to New York and return from thence 
to Flushing aboard the steamer Island City. 

On Oct. II, 185 1, Rockwell & Co., of Newtown, started 
the Flushing and New York Mail stage line. Passengers in 
Flushing were called for by leaving their names at Hover's 
and Lowerree's hotels. Fare to New York 15 cents; Sundays 
25 cents. 

On April 12, 1852, Beers & Bartlett started a Flushing 
and New York stage which went to Williamsburg at the 
Grand street ferry. The stage started from Hover's and Low- 
erree's hotels. 

On Feb. 5, 1853, C. H. Hunt advertised his Flushing and 
New York stage for sale. There is no record in the papers 
here of a sale but thereafter he ran his Flushing and Roslyn 
stage and sent his passengers to New York frorn Flushing by 
steamboat. 

On Sept. I, 1853, Meserole & Brothers started the Flush- 
ing and Williamsburg line of stages. The first stage left Flush- 
ing at 7 :30 a. m. and stages continued leaving every half hour 
thereafter during the day until 6 p. m. 

On Nov. I, 1855, Elkanah Barto started the Flushing and 
Jamaica stage line. It called for passengers in Flushing at the 
Pavilion and Griffin's grocery store and in Jamaica at "Week's 
and Durland's hotels. 

In 1855 Mr. Hunt announced that his Roslyn stage would 
connect at Flushing with the Flushing railroad as well as with 
the steamboat.. In 1856 following the successful operation of 
the Flushing railroad the Meserole stages were discontinued. 

In 1S61 J. A. Dermody started the Flushing and White- 
stone stage line. The stage connected with the Flushing rail- 



15 

road and the fare from Whitestone to New York was 25 cents. 
In 1861 the Manhasset, Little Neck and Fhishinp: stag^e was 
being advertised under the proprietorship of C. H. Cornell. 

Church's express was an important institution of Flush- 
ing. It carried parcels of all kinds and collected and deposited 
moneys and drafts. Stephen H. Church who lived in Prince 
street, was the originator of this business. The first announce- 
ment of the business appears in 185 1. Its stages passed 
through Newtown, and Williamsburg and in New York con- 
nected with all express lines. It continued as a stage express 
line until Sept. 26, 1854 when goods left in its charge were 
forwarded by the Flushing railroad. George Foster and Clark- 
ham Taber then appeared as the proprietors. The following 
year Taber retired and the business became known as Foster's 
Flushing, Newtown and New York express. 

The record as to steamboats is as follows : 

In April 1847 the Washington Irving, Capt. S. Leonard, 
left Flushing daily and stopped at Astoria, Ravenswood and 
went to Fulton Market slip. The fare was 25 cents. 

On May 5, 185 1, the steamer Island City, Capt. Silas Rey- 
nolds made the trip stopping at Fulton slip. Fare 12^ cents. 

On Oct. 6, 185 1, the steamer C. Durant, Capt. John Alt- 
house, began making trips between Flushing, Strattonport and 
Peck's slip. Fare 125^ cents. This boat was started by John 
A. Flammer, who about this time began the development of 
Strattonport. 

On July 12, 1852 the steamer George Law, Capt. Francis 
Lockwood, began making trips between Flushing, Flammers- 
burg, St. Ronan's Well and Peck's slip. Fare 12JE/2 cents. This 
boat was also started by Mr. Flammer who was developing 
Flammersburg, a prospective town between College Point and 
Whitestone. 

The Enoch Dean, Capt. Elijah Peck, Jr., was put into 
commission between Flushing and Peck's slip. New York on 
Sept. I, 1853. The fare was placed at I2>4 cents. The same 
day the Island City running between Flushing and Fulton 
Market slip announced a reduction of fare from I23>2 to 12 
cents. A little over a month later, Oct. 15, 1853 the Enoch 
Dean raised the fare to 20 cents. On May i, 1854, the Enoch 
Dean reduced the fare to 15 cents. About this time the Island 
City went into commission as the boat that received the pas- 
sengers from the Flushing railroad in Hunter's Point and took 
them to Fulton Market slip in New York. 

In 1856 the Enoch Dean was announced as an independent 
steamboat line running between Flushing, College Point and 
Fulton Market slip. Single fare 15 cents, 16 tickets for $2. 

As to the Flushing railroad the announcement was made 
in Dec. 1852 that the railroad was becoming every day a more 
popular proposition with Flushing people. In June, 1853, the 
editor of the Journal stated that though the depot or the term- 



i6 

inns of the railroad was not located, the treasurer's chest was, 
for the salary of the president of the road was fixed at $1,500 
per annnam and the salary of the secretary at $500 per an- 
nuam. On Feb. 5, 1853 the announcement was made that the 
proposed railroad was to cross the Flushing creek a few hun- 
dred feet south of the bridge across the creek at the foot of 
Bridge street and the depot was to be located on Main street 
between the store of A. C. Smith and the residence of Dr. 
Abram Bloodgood. The A. C. Smith store was where Gross 
and Posner's store now is and the Bloodgood residence is the 
present Doncourt building. Later the site of the present Main 
street depot was selected through the influence of William 
Smart who owned land to the south of Sanford avenue. On 
Feb. 24, 1853, the following directors of the road were elected, 
Walter Bowne, William Smart, Thomas Leggett, Jr., George 
W. Ouinby, Samuel B. Parsons, Jacob B, Boerum, David S. 
Williams, John Cryder, William H. Schermerhorn, John D. 
Locke, James Strong, Isaac Peck, and Aaron C. Underbill. On 
Sept. 4, 1854, the railroad was put into operation. 

I want to close with a statement of the reason why res- 
idents of Flushing have all these years been travelling to New 
York by railroad by way of Hunter's Point instead of by way 
of Williamsburg and the Grand street ferry. The directors of 
the Flushing railroad, according to statements in the Journal, 
intended to go by Williamsburg. On May 5, 1853, the com- 
mon council of the city of Williamsburg passed an ordinance 
giving the Flushing railroad the right of way through the city 
streets. The people of Williamsburg arose in indignation. 
Mayor Berry of that city vetoed the ordinance two days later. 
The common council was scared by the public protests and re- 
fused to pass the ordinance over the Mayor's veto. So Mayor 
Berry, although to fame and history unknown, was a big fac- 
tor in determining the direction of traffic on Long Island. 



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